Sonata No. 6 in G minor, Op. 13 from "Il pastor fido" collection

Nicolas Chédeville: Sonata No. 6 in G minor, Op. 13 from "Il pastor fido" collection for flute and piano or continuo was published in 1737. For over 250 years, all six sonatas fromthe  "Il Pastor Fido" (The Faithful Shepherd) collection were attributed to Antonio Vivaldi. In 1989, musicologist Philippe Lescat proved they were actually a forgery by Nicolas Chédeville. In 1737, Chédeville made a secret agreement with his cousin, publisher Jean-Noël Marchand, to publish his own music under Vivaldi's name. Chédeville funded the venture and kept the profits. The title refers to Giovanni Guarini's popular pastoral play, "Il Pastor Fido", to additionally capitalize on its fame. The original title page lists the sonatas for musette, hurdy-gurdy (vielle), flute, oboe, or violin. While the musette was the primary intended instrument, the flute became its most popular modern vehicle.
By 1737, Chédeville was the "master of the musette for the ladies of France," teaching the instrument to the daughters of Louis XV. He forged the Vivaldi attribution to give the musette, often viewed as a "coarse" folk instrument, the prestige of a great Italian composer. In 1737, Vivaldi was at the height of his fame in France. Chédeville chose him specifically to ensure high sales, though it is unknown if Vivaldi ever learned of the fraud before his death in 1741.
The sonatas are a "mélange" of simple French galante movements and Vivaldi-inspired themes. Approximately 90% of the music is Chédeville’s original work, with the remainder being modest borrowings from Vivaldi’s concertos, such as "La stravaganza".